Good Enough
by A'isha Ishtar
Summary: She had always pretended to be fearless, but she had never found a way to really conquer fear. Now all of her riskiness may have cost her. Captain Jones thought her not good enough, but she'd be damned before she gave up trying to prove herself. Davy/OC rating may change, may not... eh, it varies, hehe.
1. Chapter 1

**I like all the weird characters... why is that? Well, I dunno, but if it's wrong, I don't wanna be right!**

**Rediscovered Davy just a day ago, and here I am postin' me first chapter of my first story for him. He's definitely my favorite POTC character... though Jack's at a good second. Mainly because of "I've got a jar of dirt! I've got a jar of dirt! Guess what's inside it~?"**

**Me: DIRT! YAY!**

**Ahaha... well, anyway... the song used as the epigraph is "Good Enough" by Evanescence, as it says there, and it's beautiful. GO FILL YA EARS WITH ITS MELODIOUS SOUND NOW OR CAPTAIN JONES'LL HAVE THE KRAKEN LAY WASTE TO YER LAPTOP.**

**Har har. Anyway, since this is my first shot at a POTC fic, hopefully it's good and you like it!**

* * *

_Under your spell again_

_I can't say no to you_

_Crave my heart, and it's bleeding in your hand_

_I can't say no to you_

_Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly_

_Now I can let go of this dream_

_I can't breathe, but I feel... good enough..._

_I feel good enough for you..._

_Drink up sweet decadence_

_I can't say no to you_

_And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind_

_I can't say no to you_

_Shouldn't let you conquer me completely_

_Now I can let go of this dream_

_Can't believe that I feel... good enough..._

_I feel good enough..._

_It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good_

_And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall_

_Pour real life down on me_

_'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough..._

_Am I good enough for you to love me too?_

_Aaaahhh... yeah..._

_So take care of what you ask me..._

_'Cause I can't say no..._

_-"Good Enough", Evanescence_

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"'Go find the _Flyin' Dutchman,_' they said, 'you're the fearless one'," Lynn muttered, briefly diving under the line of raging waves and propelling herself forward farther and faster. She surfaced and shook the excess water from her eyes. "'What's the worst that could happen?' I said," she continued, slapping the water with wide strokes of her arms and kicking her feet under it. "_Ha!_ It was too late for all that drivel when I _began_ this idiotic quest, and it's just gotten even later. I am cold, I am _wet,_ and I am _TIRED!_" She sighed, then started treading water so she could rest for a moment. "I've found hide nor tail of that phantom ship. This is ridiculous. I ought to just turn back and head home... I'm not going to find anything out here..."

She was ready to turn around and go back to shore - safe, warm, dry shore - when something caught her eye. It was a ship! Oh good Lord, a ship! - maybe they could save her the swim to shore, if the crew was so brave as to let a stranger aboard.

She jumped up and plunged into the water, swimming through as fast as she could. Moving both legs wildly and spreading her arms repeatedly, soon she could see the shadow of the large ship beside and above her. She shot to the surface and took a deep breath, throwing her head back to look up at the ship. Unlike some, her name wasn't painted on the side, and Lynn could barely see the railing.

"Avast ye!" she shouted as loud as she could. She wasn't a shipmate herself, nor had she ever been, but thanks to her father being a first mate on the _Angel May_ throughout most of her life, she'd picked up on quite a bit of the nautical language. After about ten seconds with no answer, she scowled. "You bunch of bilge-guzzlin' scallywags, don't you ignore me!"

A second later someone leaned over the railing, but she was startled because - well, because the someone in question looked like some sort of combination of a man and a hammerhead shark! A _shark,_ for God's sake! She had to be dreaming. "Ahoy there, lass," he snickered, obviously amused at her predicament. "Be ye friend er foe?"

She glared up at him, trying to stop her heart from pounding against her ribcage so powerfully. Bloody hell, she didn't care who or _what_ he was, she wouldn't just swim away with her tail between her legs - err, so to speak, anyhow. (Wouldn't want to offend this shark... man... creature.) "Pull me up there! I need to get back to land!"

"Aye? Well, seems ye're outta luck then. We're not on, ah, ye know... _course_ fer land."

She raised her arms and splashed her fists into the water. "I demand to be pulled aboard, and I also demand _to speak to your captain, you ungodly excuse for a picaroon!_"

He certainly had a good laugh at that. "So ye want to have a word wit' Cap'n Jones, eh? Yer funeral, ye little wench." He turned around and waved his arm, probably at the other crew members. "Eh, ye lazy swabbies! Lass overboard. Toss the makeshift Jacob's Ladder over and hoist 'er up, will ye?"

After a second, a rope was thrown over the railing and into the water, the tip just a bit below the water. "Grab on 'ere, lassie!" someone called, but it wasn't the shark man.

They didn't have to tell her twice, hell they didn't even have to tell her _once._ She didn't care who in the bloody hell they were, or if they were going to eat her, she _had_ to get out of this water. If she had to, she could kick them all in their ruddy crotches, knock them out, and - well, probably she wouldn't be able to commandeer the ship, but she could sail it toward land till the captain came to scupper her back to the seas. Then she could probably swim back like a little fish.

She managed to climb a short distance up it, but nearly fell back into the water. At that point, she decided that it would be safer and more intelligent-looking to just wrap her body around the rope and wait for the crew to pull her up onto the deck. And a moment later they did, the shark man and another man who looked like a puffer fish pulling on each of her arms and on her back to help her over the railing.

She collapsed on the deck, and looked up. Flipping her wet, clinging hair back so she could see properly, she got a better look at the puffer fish man - he was right in front of her face, blinking at her. "Ye alright, lass?"

"Ye just abou' dropped back in the drink there," the shark man scoffed, though he was kneeling next to her as well. "Not hurt, are ye?"

She shook her head wildly, only vaguely aware that she was accidentally spattering them with water - though they didn't seem to mind. "N-No, I'm fine... just a bit... shaken up."

The shark man laughed. "Jus' a bit, then? Ah, ye'll be right as rain. A l'il shakin' ne'er hurt a body. What's yer name, lassie?"

She let herself fall backward, resting her entire weight on her wrists. "I'm Lynn Blackwell. And you two?"

The shark man grinned, showing her his dangerously sharp teeth. "Aww, _us?_ Look a' that, she wants ta know who we be. Well, _I_ be Maccus, the first mate o' this bonny vessel. And this here be Koleniko, and lemme tell ye, nary will ye find a better navigator in all the seven seas than him."

The puffer fish man, Koleniko, just rolled his eyes. "Aye, belay that talk, you lubber. Why don't ye go swing the lead? Now, don't pay him no mind, Miss Blackwell. He just be spoutin' bilge as usual."

Maccus glanced over in the corner and chuckled. "Ah, that there in the

shadows be Penrod. He's a fine buccaneer an' would fight ta the bitter end, but he's jus' a bit shy 'round new folk. C'mere, Penrod, she ain't gonna hurt ye. She be jus' a wench, after all."

After a few seconds, a small humanlike lobster crawled out of the corner he'd been obviously hiding in, and scurried over to Lynn. He was about half her size, and his antennae flitted upward toward her, not touching her but close enough that they may as well have been. He blinked up at her. "... What's wi' the hangin' o' the jib there?" His voice was quiet, but not quite as timid as she'd expected it to be. "Give us a smile, I'd bet me right claw ye're twice as fair when ye smile."

She blushed slightly, and along with it came a miniscule smile. "S-Sorry 'bout that. It's just... this is so... _different._"

"Aye, but we've gotten used to it," Maccus dismissed with a shrug.

Suddenly she felt something touching her arm, and she quickly looked to find that it was Koleniko's... err... hand... fin. "Yer skin's cold as ice," he muttered, looking up to meet her eyes. "How long have ye been out there?"

"Oh..." She shook her head, and became aware that it wasn't the only part of her body that was shaking; so were her hands, her legs, and her teeth. "Not long. Only about two hours or so."

"_Not long?_" Maccus repeated in disbelief. "Ye have a wish to get blown down, lass? Currents be strong out here, an' the water ain't the most pleasant of feelin's."

Koleniko shook his head. "Lass, ye'll catch yer death of cold doin' that. Penrod, fetch her a blanket, would ye? She needs warmed up."

Though looking unwilling to leave her, Penrod nodded and bustled off to complete his task. "Be righ' back, lass."

She shivered and curled her legs up, all of a sudden feeling the cold getting to her. "Sorry to be a bother, mates. I couldn't go any longer."

Maccus snorted. "Ah, y'ain't too hard to lift up. If ya woulda just stayed still, I mean." He glanced around the deck, then rolled the one eye that wasn't basically swollen shut. "Rest o' them yella bellies musta high tailed it back ta their duties when they saw ye. Comin' out o' the sea, lookin' like a deadly siren..."

"Well, I'm _not._ Aren't they just legends?"

"Aye, one would think so."

"What were ye doin' out there anyway?" Koleniko asked, sitting down beside

her.

"Said she was tryin' ta get back ta land." Maccus decided to plop down as

well, right in front of her. "Tried ta tell her we ain't goin' fer land, but she wanted aboard anyway."

"Ye be a proper madwoman," Koleniko chuckled. "Why go out to sea in the firs' place if ye were tryin' to find land?"

She shook her head. "Wasn't trying to find land - well, not... not at first."

It was at this moment that Penrod returned with a blanket, draping it over her shoulders. "There ye go, lass. Mind if I sit on yer other side?"

"No, not at all." She giggled as he curled up right next to her, leaning against her. "And by all means, don't be shy about it..."

"So what were ye looking fer, lass?" Maccus asked, lying down on the deck.

"What could ye possibly hope to find all the way out here?" Koleniko added.

She looked down, a bit embarrassed now of why she was out here. Her friends had managed to get her all worked up at the possibility of finding some phantom ship and dueling with its infamous captain, and what had she gotten for it? Not much, except cold, tired, and hungry. "I was, uh... I was lookin' for the _Flyin' Dutchman._ A trifle silly, isn't it? My friends talked me into it, I'll do anything if I'm challenged to it..."

When she didn't receive an answer of either laughter or some insult to her intelligence, she glanced back up. Penrod was silent against her, but both Maccus and Koleniko were staring at her with wide eyes - well, as much as could be managed, especially in Maccus's case. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. "What?"

Maccus was the one who tried to break the tension, laughing nervously and hitting the side of his head. "I, er... must've got some seawater in me ear, lass."

"I think we misheard ye," Koleniko agreed, looking slightly paler than he had been only a second ago.

"Did ye just say," Maccus continued, "that ye was lookin' fer the _Flyin' Dutchman?_"

She nodded slowly, wondering what the big deal was. "Aye, Maccus."

Maccus cleared his throat, then quickly jerked his head down. It was like he was looking beyond her, seeing something that she wasn't. And Koleniko tensed up too, obviously sensing it as well. "Uh, er, well... ye found her."

"Aye, little lass." The new voice was right behind her and made her blood run cold. "And ye found her captain as well."

* * *

**OOOOH CLIFFHANGER.**

**If you have a question about any of the piratey lingo, just message me or leave a review! Or if you're the anonymous type, leave a review and I'll answer it in the beginning of the next chapter!**

**Thanks fer readin', me hearties! Yo ho ho, a bottle o' rum, and a jar o' dirt to ye all! ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry bout the wait guys! Tried to make the crew a bit more in character this chapter, how'd I do?**

**Hope ya likee!**

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Lynn was slow in turning around, nervous of who or what she was going to see behind her. If she'd found the _Flying Dutchman,_ as Maccus had just told her, then logically whoever had spoken behind her was its captain. The infamous Davy Jones. Oh God, her heart had to stop beating like this or it was going to coming bolting right out of her chest...

As Penrod quickly left her side in favor of returning to darker and more concealing surroundings, she finally faced what was a pair of big black boots. But her immediate response was, instead of focusing on them, to yank her eyes up to focus on the face. She was shocked by what she saw - instead of a human face, she was staring at a very _inhuman_ version, which seemed to center around some sort of octopus for the head. She would have thought it interesting in any other situation - the tentacles lay in the front of his head, forming what her mind could only interpret as a beard.

As she tried not to gawk, her eyes moved down to his hands... one of which was a lobster claw. So much for not making a spectacle of him, but that was exactly what he _was_ to her.

"C-Captain Jones," Koleniko muttered, rushing to his feet and avoiding eye contact. "She needed help..."

"She was out in the middle o' the sea," Maccus added, in the same sheepish way. "Couldn't leave 'er flounderin'... heh... g-get it, Cap? _Flounderin'?_ Ha... ah... ah damn..."

Jones merely snarled at his crew, and took a few steps closer to Lynn. "An' _what_ made ye think it was a good idea ta haul 'er aboard me ship?" To her surprise, what she received for all the effort she put into not staring - no matter how in vain it had been - was a kick to the side from the captain's boot. He didn't even look at her as she fell over and wrapped her arms around her middle. "She isn't dead, nor is she dyin'. What use is she goin' to be?"

"Lynn." It was Koleniko who came to her side after the short lecture, carefully turning her onto her back. "Did ye hurt yerself?"

She groaned and shook her head, blinking up and trying to get her mind to decide if there were one or two of him. "I don't think..."

"She'll be fine," Maccus scoffed. "She ain't weak, Niko."

Koleniko sighed and glanced up at the captain, though he shrunk away a bit when he noticed the look he was getting. "Cap'n Jones, she... she truly didn' mean any harm."

"I don't want trouble," Lynn managed to rasp, accepting the navigator's help to sit upward again. "I just got lost..."

"She didn't even know wha' ship we were," Maccus grumbled, crossing his arms. "She jus' wanted outta the water. She been out there 'bout two hour."

As Jones got even closer, Lynn turned to bury her face in Koleniko's chest and grab onto Maccus's arm. She was truly embarrassed of how terrified she was right now, but she was shaking fiercely, and this time it wasn't from being cold. "P-Please, Captain..." she managed to stammer. "I-I'll do anything... I'll swab the decks, I'll... I'll cook... I'll... I'll do _anything._"

"Don't hurt 'er now, Captain," Koleniko murmured, pulling her up and putting his arms around her almost protectively. "Please - she'll serve you an' the _Dutchman_ as well as any o' the other crew... as well as _us_."

She felt Koleniko let go of her, and he faced her forward, though she still hung her head. She was afraid of Jones... a person with any _shred_ of common sense would be. All of a sudden something cold and slimy touched the bottom of her chin, and her head was being forced up, so that her wide eyes met Jones's beady, cold blue ones. He was staring straight at her, almost as if trying to look into her very soul - a thought which completely, thoroughly disturbed her. "Well, ye got a name, lass?"

She swallowed. "L-Lynn Blackwell, s-s-sir."

"Tell me..." He forced her face up even more with his tentacle. "Do ye fear death, Miss Blackwell?"

A gulp followed before she could even try to answer. "I-I'm wishing I didn't right about now..." She felt tears welling in her eyes. "B-But then, everyone fears it, don't they? Everyone's afraid of death some, even if they don't show it..."

"Int'resting perspective ye put on it." He let go of her and drew back up to his full height. "Lynn Blackwell... plain name, I have ta say. So ye were out here lookin' for me ship, were ye?"

"Y-Yes sir," she murmured, letting go of Koleniko and Maccus for the moment. "I-I'm sorry... my friends, they know I'll do anything they challenge me to... but they didn't think I would when they dared me to this. I shouldn't have taken it up..."

Koleniko and Maccus helped her to her feet. "Come on, Cap'n, she made a mistake," Maccus sighed, pushing some of Lynn's hair out of her face. "We can take 'er back, soon's we can hit the shore in... how long?"

"I think it's... eight more year," Koleniko answered, helping straighten Lynn.

Lynn immediately jerked her head up to stare into his eyes, scared. "_E-Eight years?_" she sputtered, blinking uncontrollably, feeling as though she were going to just burst into tears.

"And what d'ye suggest we do wit' 'er in the meantime?" Jones growled, glaring at the crewmates. "Tie 'er up in the brig?"

"N-No, please don't!" she shrieked, running back and hiding behind Maccus, grasping his shoulders.

Maccus scoffed disgustedly and pulled her out from behind him. "Hey now, don't be a yella coward, lass!"

She whimpered as Jones got closer, backing up against Maccus and sinking to the deck again. "I-I'll work - just like Koleniko said, I'll keep house - err, well, keep ship, as it were, but... but please... don't hurt me, or... or keep me belowdecks. I'll do _anything..._ please..."

"_Anything,_ eh, Miss Blackwell?" Jones looked her over more thoroughly, from her toes to the top of her head. "Ye look like the type ta take a caulk when work's ta be done. Wha' do ye think, Maccus? Shoul' we keep the lass aboard?"

"Just give 'er duty wit' Ol' Haddy 'n' be done wit' it, Captain." Maccus grabbed Lynn under both arms and hoisted her up again. "Argh, lass! How can ye be so heavy? Ye look a lie!" He let go once she was steady, and looked back at Jones. "An'way, Cap, why drag i' out? Ye're jus' _tryin'_ ta scare the poor lass now."

"Rightly, she _ought_ ta be scared!" Jones thundered. "She knows the ship she is on, don't she?"

Lynn bowed her head. "P-Please, Captain Jones... it was a mistake, my fault. I want no trouble, for me or them... I will gladly serve aboard the _Dutchman,_ as long as... well, my life continues."

For some reason he shot her a disgusted look, but just turned swiftly and began to walk away. "She star's t'morrow, crack o' dawn. I suggest ye find some place she can sleep, Koleniko, Maccus, if ye dinnae wan' Jimmy Legs comin' after 'er wit' 'is cat. An' Penrod, I can _see_ yer yella belly a mile away. Dinnae wanna be workin' wit' the lass, stop runnin' fer cover ever'time ye see yer own shadow." With that, the legendary and quite frightening captain vanished, presumably to his own quarters.

Lynn felt rather as though she were about to faint, but managed to keep her balance. A good thing too, because a few seconds later Penrod scurried out of his hiding place and crawled rapidly up round her till she was holding him in her arms. He'd drawn his eyestalks back into his shell and was trembling. She glanced down and held him closer. "He scare you guys too?"

Penrod's eye peeked out, and once he was absolutely positive Jones was gone, he popped both of them out and tried to stay still. "He scare ever'body, lass. Don' think I've met a single member o' the crew who didn't star' shakin' in 'is boots when 'e 'eard the captain comin'. He's a livin' legend, after all."

Lynn gulped, looking at Maccus and Koleniko each in turn. "Anybody else suddenly want to abandon ship? Or just me?"

Maccus chortled, roughly patting her on the back as Penrod jumped from her arms. "Lass, we all gave our promise - a hundred years o' service b'fore the _Dutchman's_ mast. We're nothin' if we ain't loyal ta the ole girl, n' matter how much she changes us."

"Well, you're certainly not as bad as I'd have imagined - bein' her crew and all, I mean." Lynn crossed her arms, feeling the chill of the night getting to her now. "It's true what you said, Maccus, the way things look can be deceiving. You're not such a bad lot."

"Slow down, lass - ye've only met three o' us," Maccus chuckled. "Ye jus' wait till the bo'sun gets an eyeful o' ye. Jimmy'll just be itchin' fer excuses ta torture ye wit' 'is whip."

"Jimmy - Jimmy Legs? Is he the boatswain?"

"Aye, the bo'sun," Koleniko added. "An' a right vicious one too, comin' after ye wit' 'is cat fer any little thing. I think 'e calls the thing... wha'd he name i', Maccus? 'Petunia Pain'?"

"Nah - I think it be 'Scary Sarah' now. Changes ev'ry week." Maccus scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. "We ought ta find 'im a righ' _real_ beauty. 'S not healthy, wha' 'e's doin'..."

Lynn stumbled forward and fell against Koleniko before quickly righting herself. She'd tried not to sway, but her eyes kept wanting to close all of a sudden. "Oh, um... lads? D'you remember Cap sayin' somethin' about... sleep?"

"Oh, aye... righ'." Koleniko patted her shoulder, much more mindfully than his mate had. "I think I know jus' the thing. But, er, Maccus..." He leaned over and proceeded to whisper in the first mate's ear (err...?) for a moment, then drew away. "Aye?"

Maccus grinned, revealing his mouthful of many sharp teeth. (Truth be told, he was a bit harder for her to trust than Penrod or Koleniko.) "Aye aye, coxswain, _sir!_ Be back then." He left to head belowdecks, snatching up Penrod and saying he was going to "help me wit' this, ye lily-livered git!"

Koleniko put his arm round Lynn's shoulders. "Now, lemme show ye somethin', lass." He pointed up in the sky, at a faraway blinding pinpoint of light. "Ye see tha' star up 'ere?"

"Oh! Brilliant. That's Polaris, isn't it?" Seeing the blank look on his face, she quickly gave herself a reality check and corrected herself. "Er, I mean, the North Star?"

"Aye, t'is. Ye know it?"

"Aye! My father was a ship captain, before he retired. I wouldn't suppose you ever met his vessel - the _Angel May?_"

"Can't honestly say I remember i'. Not ta say we haven't though... me memory's not wha' it used ta be. Doubt i' though, if yer father be still livin'." He took her face and gently turned it back toward the sky, instead of at him. "So ye see i'?"

"Aye, the North Star. Bright and shining in the heavens."

Koleniko nodded. "Aye. And if ye ever get los', which I don' think the captain plans on lettin' happen, all ye got ta do is follow tha' star. Lead ye straigh' ta us, ev'ry time."

"Wonderful! Though..." Her face fell, and she was sure that to him she looked a sorry mess. "I truly have to wait eight years? For you to make port so I can leave?"

"Captain can only be on lan' once ev'ry ten year." Koleniko shrugged. "Well, course, we can _make_ port an'time. Gotta get supplies 'n' all 'at after all. Jus' tha' Captain can't go. I dunno if he really gon' make ye stay the whole eight year. Migh' take mercy on ye 'cause ye're a woman." He scratched his head under his not-well-taken-care-of bandana. "Course, then again, he be unpredictable an' sometime downrigh' cruel. A woman migh' set 'im off, after ev'rythin' tha'..." He just shook his head, silently telling her to forget it.

She sighed, hugging herself. She _really_ didn't want to wait eight years to go back on land. Her parents wouldn't miss her much, now that she'd grown up and hadn't talked to them for a while, but there were certain things she'd miss. She had the sun, or would once it rose, but she got the feeling that she would be pushed around here. She would probably miss wearing gowns on the rare occasion she did; would miss running freely about, though it was something she could do only in private; and God, a _bed._ Did they even have hammocks on this ship? Or did everyone just sleep on the floor on top of each other? She heard that happened on some ships.

Koleniko must have seen the worried, contemplative look on her face, for he clapped her softly on the shoulder. "Ah, don't hang the jib again, lass. I think we've 'ad enough o' tha' fer one night, eh? Jus'... stay on the captain's good side. Maybe he be kind ta ye if ye do as ye're told - nothin' more, nothin' less."

She nodded, carefully drawing away from his embrace. "When is the next time you're even due to make port without Captain Jones?"

"Ah... 'bout two week, I think. Not long. Ye wanna tag along? Won't hafta wear a disguise like the res' o' us."

"I don't know. Maybe. Probably. _God,_ yes, I think by then I'll be begging for land." She pushed some of her hair back, picking up the blanket that Penrod had given her earlier. Then she looked up at Koleniko and raised an eyebrow, blinking. "What on Earth did you send them to do, anyway?"

At that exact moment right after the last syllable had left her mouth, the door to the decks below swung open. First Penrod tiptoed out, toward the side of the ship, then Maccus followed, throwing out his arm toward the stairs. "Well, lass, ye ready ta see yer oh-so fine 'n' special sleepin' arrangemen's?"

She glanced at Penrod, who was climbing over the side. "Er, where's he going?"

Maccus waved his hand, reaching forward and grabbing hers. "He likes ta sleep down near the hull, heaven know why. Now c'mon, er ye'll not be gettin' much sleep." With that, he pulled her down, pushing her onto the first couple of steps. Koleniko followed them, albeit with a sigh and a pestered expression.

Lynn made sure to hold onto the walls as she ventured down the stairs, feeling for the next with her foot before moving on. Once the stairs ended, she saw a large room full of sleeping... men? Creatures? She assumed them to be men, as they looked similar to Maccus, Koleniko, and Penrod, but... different somehow. Not all the same.

Maccus snapped his fingers, leading her over to the corner. "Cleaned one off fer ye, since ye be a lady 'n' all. We be nothin' if we ain't proper."

"I thought you'd be nothing if you weren't loyal to the _Dutchman._"

"Aye. Both be true. It be righ' over there, by Hadras. Careful 'bout him, he wakes up at the smalles' thing. But don' worry much, he be more... well, he ain't cruel anyway."

Lynn shrugged, managing a smile for him. After all, it _was_ a nice thing he'd done. He wouldn't have done it if she weren't a woman - which, though a big insulting, was also quite charming. "Thank you, Maccus." Doing her best to integrate the sailors' ways into her own, she gave him a friendly punch on the arm, trying not to hit too hard. "See you in the mornin' then, eh?"

"Aye." He gave her a shove back, grinning, and turned to make his way through the others - probably so he could get some sleep too.

Koleniko gave her a bit of a worried look as she tried to climb into the hammock but ended up more or less having a tussle with it. "Uh well... we'll jus' be right over on the other side, lass. Wake us up if ye need... anythin'. An' by anythin', I mean if ye can't get yerself untied in a few minutes."

"Savvy," she grunted, finally managing to flip herself over and settle in the hammock, albeit with her foot caught through a hole and her fair hair tangled about some of the rope. Once she'd stopped herself from rocking about and knocking into Hadras (that was who she guessed it was anyway, from Maccus's comments), she looked up at Koleniko, appearing quite proud of herself, and gave him a triumphant smile. "Alright, Koleniko, I'll... see you in the morning then."

Koleniko sighed and shook his head. "As ye were, Lynn. Try no' ta fall out."

"Goodnight, Koleniko!"

"G'night, Lynn."

"Goodnight, Maccus!"

"Yeah yeah, g'night, lass."

"... G'night, Maccus."

"Belay it, Niko. 'S too late..."

"_Goodnight, Penrod!_"

"Shut yer trap, lass, er ye'll be out there wit' 'im!"

...

"Do you think Captain would hear me if I-"

"No. _Go to sleep._"

"... Well, goodnight then."

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**FWAHAHA thanks fer readin' me hearties! ^^**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry about the long wait. I had most of the chapter done, but then I couldn't figure out how I wanted the end to go. LOL.**

**Hey hey! If the ****_Flying Dutchman_**** is your favorite crew of scallywags, mosey on over to me profile and check out "Life on the Flying Dutchman"! Here's a brief synopsis: 9-year-old Mercy's lost her father and been tossed about by a storm, but somewhere a goddess shines fortune on her, and she's hauled aboard the ****_Flying Dutchman_****. How will she fare with the bloodthirsty bo'sun, a friend with a shell where his brains out to be, and one hell of a captain, all wrapped up in the rest of the crew with a game of Liar's Dice on the side? Find out in this crazy adventure!**

**... Uhm, yeah, shameless self-promotion. But I promise, if you like the crew, you'll enjoy it!**

**But right now, I'm writing more of this. ;P**

**Hope you guys enjoy, I worked really hard to keep everyone in character, especially Jimmy Legs! For once I'm proud of how I wrote him.**

**Hadras is random. Ffffff~ he's hilarious, one of my favorites.**

**And Bill. BILL. Such a freaking sweetheart. Again... one of me favorites.**

**Well, read on, me mates!**

* * *

Lynn couldn't get to sleep for the life of her. She was worried about tomorrow; what Old Haddy was like, how he'd treat her, if the bo'sun might give her a taste of his cat. She was terrified to see the captain again, if she even had to, but maybe he wasn't as bad as she was making him out to be. After all, if he'd wanted to, he could have woken up the bo'sun right then and had her flogged.

For the first few hours, she kept turning over in her hammock. She tried every position - on her back, on her stomach, on either side, even curled up like an infant - but the moment she closed her eyes she just became restless again. She'd finally just settled on rocking her hammock side to side, not very forcefully, hoping to make herself dizzy enough that she'd fall asleep just for fear of being seasick.

After a while of this, and of contemplating what the other crewmembers were like, and wondering what her friends back on land had thought when she'd never returned, she felt something. It felt almost like an arm, the shoulder or very close, and it bumped into her own arm. She was sunk down so low into the hammock that it very nearly hit her in the face, and it was followed by an eager "_Oi!_", with all the energy that any one person could pack into a whisper.

She sighed and threw her own arm over her eyes. "What is it?"

"My name is Hadras."

She blew her bangs upward, lifting her wrist. "I'm Lynn. The others told me about you. Did I wake you up?"

"Nay! Well, maybe. I'm no' sure. Ev'rythin' wake me up."

"So I've heard. Go back to sleep, you'll probably need your energy."

"Ye shoul' be sleepin' too. Ye're the new member... get stuck wit' all the bad jobs. I shoul' know - not long ago, was me."

She sighed. "Aye. They told me I'd be workin' with Old Haddy. Do you know if he's cruel?"

"Aw no! He's usually pretty agree'ble. Can't hear good though, ye may hafta say the same thing more'n one time."

"Thanks, Hadras."

"No' a problem! S'pose I shoul' get back ta sleep. G'night, Lynn!" She heard a bit of racket from the next hammock, then after less than five minutes, snoring. Not only was he a light sleeper, apparently, he didn't take long to get there.

She took a breath, gathering the blanket that she'd kept about herself. Being close to someone more like him than, say, Jones, was a little comforting. At least Hadras seemed to make an effort toward being nice. She managed to keep her eyes shut this time, and feeling a little reassured, slipped into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Likely courtesy of her new captain, Lynn was subjected to a very rude awakening the next morning at the hands of the bo'sun, Jimmy Legs. She woke up to him cracking his whip at her and yelling "Show a leg, lass! Ye'll be lashed even further if ye don't get up!"

And of course, knowing only the sailors' language and not pirates', show a leg she did; and for her innocent mistake, she received a bleeding cut and several bruises on said leg. She tumbled out of her hammock, screaming the whole way, and apparently this was sufficient for Jimmy Legs, as he decided not to give her another lash.

He did crack the whip as a warning though, and took his foot to her side - which was still sore from when Jones had done the same to her last night. "Y'already missed yer ration, lass," he sneered. "Looks like ye'll be workin' on an empty stomach."

She was barely awake and confused, and yelped when he grabbed her by her collar. He dragged her roughly over to the door and out, once he'd gotten it open. He didn't even give her the option to walk on her own two feet; he pulled her along up the stairs, bruising her knees and even once hitting her head. The sun hit her face for a brief minute, but almost immediately Jimmy Legs had opened another door, and down she tumbled into the darkness of the galley. Thankfully she missed most of the stairs - evidently having just been _thrown_ - and managed to somewhat catch herself as she fell at the bottom of the steps.

It had taken her a moment to crawl to her feet, what with all the abuse she'd taken just in five minutes. It seemed a blessing that the blood from the slice on her leg had already dried, though it still burned like all hell. After looking herself over, she found that aside from that cut all she had were bruises and a slight swelling on the side of her head. "I'm sore and I haven't even begun work yet," she'd muttered as she ventured into the poorly-lit galley, looking for Old Haddy.

Once she began to work, she found that Old Haddy wasn't really so bad. He'd misheard her name as "Lynnie" somehow, and that was what he called her, but she didn't correct him. He'd probably hear it wrong again anyhow. Mostly he left her to her own devices, and the most strenuous task she got was scrubbing the dishes. Even for that she got a little tub with water and a rag, and she was allowed to sit down while she did her work.

But after washing five tankards, three plates, and two bowls in dim light to the rhythm of Old Haddy tone-deafly humming "Blow the Man Down", it was a bit much for her. The sun was out, and here she was belowdecks, scouring the insides of mugs. Finally she stood up, lugging her tub along with her. "Haddy," she called, getting right near him. "Haddy? Would you mind if I did this up on deck?"

When he turned to look at her, she gestured wildly to the tub, and the stairs, and herself so he could understand what she was saying without her having to yell at him. At last he blinked slowly, chuckled, and cocked his head toward the door. "G'on, Lynnie! Back when ya done," he nearly shouted, turning back to... whatever that was he was trying to cook. (She swore that whenever he served it, it would just look the crew in the eye and scurry away, but why not let him experiment? After all, they'd probably eat anything that didn't look like it was going to eat them first.)

After grabbing a hardtack biscuit and tucking it tightly into her sleeve so she could carry the tub, she picked up her work and began lugging it up the steps. It wasn't impossibly heavy, though it was more than she was used to. Once she got to the last step up, she heaved her shoulder against the door and opened it up, taking a few happy steps into the sunshine.

As soon as she felt the rays hit her face, she immediately brightened up. Her mood hadn't been awful before, save for brooding over her wounds, and she was limping, but if she didn't put a smile on her face then she'd be completely miserable her entire stay here. If she didn't improve her outlook on it and stay positive, it wouldn't get any better. "Ahoy, Maccus!" she called as she passed him, and he nodded at her. She began dragging her tub over by the stairs to the helm, so she could rest her back against something while she worked.

"Mind if I sit by here?" she asked the helmsman, a man like the others but with a coral-like head, seaweed all over him, and nearly green all over. "I won't pester you."

He just grunted at her, turning the wheel. Before she sat down she caught a glimpse of his head twitch to one side, and what sounded like a small sigh.

"So it's alright then?" she repeated just to be sure, sliding down onto the deck.

"Aye," he finally growled out, leaning against the helm. He certainly didn't seem very eager to talk, and it almost didn't sound like speech in fact.

"Thank you! I won't be a bother, I promise." She placed the tub between both legs, and began to rub at the next plate. A few times the water dripped onto her cut and made it sore, but she just gritted her teeth through the pain and waited till it would stop so she could keep working. It was a little harder to keep up her cheery attitude once she was with her own thoughts and nobody was talking to her.

A few negative thoughts seeped into her mind a few times; things like, _Am I ever getting off this ship? Is Jimmy going to whip me again if he sees me? What if the rest of the crew is just as horrible as him?_ She hoped that one, she'd get off soon; two, that Jimmy wouldn't give her any more lashes; and three, that the rest of the crew were _nothing_ like him.

After she'd scrubbed a few more things, she glanced up to see if possibly anyone was on a break and could talk to her or something like that. She saw a man walking toward the galley,and immediately called out to him. "Ahoy! Have a minute?"

He turned to look at her, and she noticed he looked slightly confused. He blinked a few times, but just stared at her.

She gestured to herself. "Come on now, don't be shy! Sit down a minute, take a rest."

He looked down, then walked over and stood by her, though he didn't sit down quite yet. She saw that he was more human than the others; he wore a bandana, like Koleniko, and his hair was dark and stringy, like seaweed. There was a dull orange starfish stuck to his cheek, and probably if he'd been alive his skin tone would have worried a doctor. He was past pale - he was very nearly _gray._ "Ahoy, ma'am. You need somethin'?" His accent wasn't as harsh as the others', and it surprised her that he was rather soft spoken.

Nevertheless, as she rather liked proper gentlemen as company, she offered the brightest smile she could muster. "You looked on a break. Care to sit down and talk?"

He shrugged. "Well, I was... heading down t' see if Old Haddy's got any little pieces o' biscuit or anythin'..."

"I got some!" She reached into her sleeve and pulled out the hardtack she'd stashed in there earlier. "You can have part of it. Really, I just need someone to talk to. Just for a bit."

"Well... I... guess tha'd be alright." He sat down beside her as she broke off a piece of the biscuit and handed it over to him. "You mus' be the new one."

"My, news travels fast on this ship, doesn't it?" She slipped a small piece into her mouth as well, sighing a little. "But yes, that's me. I'm working with Old Haddy - washing everything right now. He let me come up here... I needed a little sunlight and other people. But the helmsman's a bit busy to be talking to me right now."

He chuckled, sucking on his own piece of hardtack. "Aye. Greenbeard, he ain't much fer talkin', but he ain't bad. So what be yer name?"

"Lynn. You?"

"Ev'ryone calls me Bootstrap Bill." He shrugged. "I don't mind either way, Bootstrap or Bill. Don't matter much anyhow."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Bill." She plunged her hand back into the water, and came up with a plate, beginning to clean again. She wasn't sure what to talk about with him now; after all, he seemed to be older than her, and what could _she_ say to interest someone who'd seen everything?

After a moment of silence, she noticed he was staring at her, not blinking, and she looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "Bill?"

He didn't really say he was sorry or anything, but he looked down as if he suddenly realized what he were doing. "You remind me of my son."

How wonderful, he had children! Some women might take his comment as an insult, but she just thought it was sweet. "Your son? Is he on the ship too?"

"No. No, thank God, he got away." It seemed he was moving the hardtack around in his mouth, probably a nervous habit. "You don't really look like him... 'cept fer the eyes. His eyes are the same color. An' he's about yer age, I think. I think. You might be younger."

"What's his name?"

"Will. William. I... I'm not sure which he prefers. Haven't seen him for... three years? Five? I can't even r'member." He leaned his head back, sighing as he closed his eyes. "An' we never really talk about that, anyhow. Other stuff... going on."

She reached over and put a hand on his back, though a little unsure of how appropriate it was for someone you'd just met. She didn't much care though, clearly he was experiencing some awful memory and it wasn't fair to just let him sit there and suffer through it. "Bill?" she said quietly, letting her other hand dangle in the water with the plate. "Are you alright?"

"Hmm?" He snapped his eyes open, and stared at her again, though looking quite shaken this time. "Oh... yes. Aye... I'm fine."

She furrowed her brow in concern. "Are you sure?"

"Aye. Jus'... rememberin' somethin', is all. Sorry 'bout that."

"It's... alright." She slid her hand off, and hesitantly resumed washing. "Well... is there anything you think I should know? Being on the ship and all?"

He chuckled shortly, but there was a lack of any real mirth, both in the sound and in his face. "Do your duties. Don't anger the captain or the bo'sun."

"Right, I figured as much. The bo'sun woke me up this morning." She turned her leg so he could see the whip marks. "Lashed me, and clearly he didn't want me to literally show a leg."

Bill laughed, and it was really the first time he'd smiled since she'd called him over. "Well, he might, seein' as there ain't any women on the ship, but usually that jus' mean 'wake up'."

"Oh." She shook her head. "My father taught me most of the sailors' language, but... some of yours is a little different."

"'Cause we're pirates, you mean? Aye, there be a lotta diff'rences."

"It's not _all_ bad though."

"Ye know what ship ye're on, Lynn?" He shook his head, looking at her almost as if he didn't believe her. "Ye'll learn soon, what it's like here. Ye'll be beggin' to leave in a matter o' days."

"Oh, I don't think so." She rubbed her rag against a particularly stubborn spot on the tankard she was washing. "You don't all seem to be the absolute worst people I've ever met. Actually, _that_ prestigious honor goes to this one bloke from my hometown... can you believe? He truly thought I would court him, when all he did was act like the _opposite_ of a gentleman."

Instead of hearing Bill add anything, her response was the crack of a whip. She jerked her head up to see Jimmy Legs in front of them, and out of the corner of her eye she could see Bill scrambling to get to his feet.

"Wha' do we 'ave 'ere?" Jimmy Legs pointed his whip at her. "_You,_ wench. You been a bother to me all this mornin', wit' _me_ havin' ta waste my valu'ble time gettin' yer lazy arse outta yer hammock. An' now, I find ye ain't even wit' Old Haddy?"

She opened her mouth to retaliate, but to her surprise Bill came to her defense. "She's doin' 'er job, Jimmy," he spoke up, taking what looked like a hesitant step toward the annoyed bo'sun. "Haddy told 'er she could come up here to wash 'em. She needed some air."

If she wasn't mistaken, Jimmy Legs snarled at her, but then focused all of his attention onto Bill. "Oh, _fine._ So she ain't breakin' any rules." He flicked the whip near Bill's feet, which made the other man flinch back. "But wha' about _you,_ Mister Turner? Sittin' about on deck, takin' a caulk an' carousin' wit' the cabin girl when ye should be _workin'!_" He cracked his whip, and it was headed straight for Bill, who had thrown his hands up in front of his face.

Lynn stood up quicker than she thought she'd ever moved in her life. She barely knew Bill, and he barely knew her, but he'd stood up for her and she'd be damned if she just sat there and let him take the punishment for something she ought to be blamed for. She didn't have the time to take a blow to the chest where Jimmy Legs had aimed; instead she flung her arm out, and the whip made its sting around her wrist.

She shrieked at the pain, but she didn't move. By the look on Jimmy Legs's face, he was both shocked and enraged that he hadn't hit his intended target. "Stop it!" she shouted, trying to free her wrist, though the whip had wrapped around pretty tightly. "It wasn't _his_ fault, it was all my idea! Hear? _Mine!_"

She felt Bill's hand on her shoulder, and it was cold and sweaty and frantic. "Lynn, no, no," he whispered fervently. "Please, don't do this. He'll worsen it tenfold for you!"

She looked back at him, trying to hold back tears of pain. "You protected me, Bill. I'm just repaying the favor." She faced Jimmy Legs again. "So if you want to punish someone, you go on and give it to me!" She spat at him. "That is, if you're man enough to give a woman the lash _twice!_"

Jimmy Legs growled at her, yanking the cat back toward him in spite of the fact that it seemed loath to release her. "Ye brazen little strumpet! Ask 'n' ye'll receive!"

She closed her eyes tightly, shrinking back and waiting to feel the anger of the whip again.

Before the bo'sun even had a chance to uncoil his cat from around her wrist, there was a loud sound, like air rushing by. She opened her eyes, and there was their captain, Davy Jones, standing beside them and ready to make a move should the situation warrant such a thing. "_Wha'_ is goin' on here?" he snapped, and although he probably tried not to look at anyone in particular, Lynn could feel his eyes set firmly on her.

She mentally groaned. _Oh, why can't I ever keep my mouth shut?_

* * *

**UH OH SPAGHETTI-O.**

**I know, I know... another cliffhanger. I'm awful. But don't worry, I'm off to write more exactly this second! I wanted to keep it going, but it was getting a little bit long so I decided "ah, what the hell, keep 'em in suspense."**

**So. You won't be waiting for a long time... that is, so long as I get the reviews I desire. MWAHAHAHAHA. Reviews are me booty.**

**Jimmy Legs: *cracks whip* *cackle* 'At's funny, strumpet, yer arse don't LOOK like this review thing!**

**Me: *pout* I'MA STEAL YOUR CAT! *cries and goes to whine to Bill* ****_BOOTSTRAAAAAAP!_**

**Arrrrr, thanks fer readin'! ^^**


	4. Chapter 4

**REVIEWS? I CAN HAZ REVIEWS?**

**LOL. But seriously... more reviews mean more chapters. And you guys WANT that right? ... How bad do you want it? Fffffff~ lol**

**Oh Jimmy. You're such a fun-sucker...**

**And... I... I love writing Davy's accent. "GET TAE IT, LADS!" Also, it's both hilarious and awesome at the same time, the way he enunciates his words. *melt***

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter! It's even got a chewy center of character development. OoO**

* * *

Lynn pouted and tried again to free herself from the cat. "It's not fair!" she immediately proclaimed, struggling backwards and probably bumping poor Bill. "It was _my_ fault! He oughtn't just say it's Bill's fault and start whipping everyone like a madman!"

"Oh fer God's sakes above," she heard Bill mutter, probably thinking the situation was utterly hopeless.

Davy shot a glare at her, then looked at Jimmy, then back at her. "An' I _repea',_" he growled, "**_what_** be goin' on here?!"

She grasped the whip's tendril with her other hand and finally managed to pry its iron death-grip off her wrist. There was a red mark, but she tried not to focus too much on it at the moment. "I was _workin',_ and Bill was on his _break!_" she choked out, nearly breathless.

She took a second to suck in some air before continuing. "So I asked him to sit down with me, and we talked, and then _this cur..._" She pointed to Jimmy. "Has the absolute _gall_ to say we ain't workin' and threaten the both of us!"

"C'me along now, Cap'n," Jimmy grunted. "'S too early fer this bilge. Jus' let me give the _both_ of 'em a good lashing!"

She felt Bill push around her. "Captain, I take respons'bility. I was talkin', 'n' she's good comp'ny, 'n' I shoulda gotten back to swabbin'. It's my fault."

She clapped her hand on Bill's shoulder, and she could feel she'd accidentally dug her nails into him. "Bill, stop it. You don't have to stand up for me again, I'm not a child." As awfully terrifying as it was, she looked straight into the eyes of Davy Jones, watery blue and cold and rough as the sea itself. "I'm to blame. Let Bill go."

"Lynn, don't..."

"No, Bill! I know what's coming." She shifted her eyes from the iciness of Davy's blue ones, and met Jimmy's. "It's _my_ punishment, bo'sun, so let me bear it. We wouldn't be here if not for me, so leave him out of it."

Jimmy sneered his lip at her, then turned his head to Davy. "Well, Cap'n? Which of 'em shall taste it?"

Lynn looked back at him, and noticed that while his head was tilted toward Jimmy, his eyes remained locked on hers. She couldn't tear her gaze away, and it looked almost like he was searching for something. There was that hard, guarded expression in them, but behind that it seemed as if he were... vulnerable. She saw that soft emotion flicker for a few seconds, like the waves tossed in a storm, but then the frost of that wall was up again, shielding anything else.

"Bo'sun, give 'er two lashes 'cross the chest."

Lynn had to find it in herself to be horrified, but she knew it shouldn't really have surprised her. What had she expected? For him to grant her mercy just because she was a woman?

"Damn it, Lynn," Bill groaned, before he was pushed aside by Jimmy, who cackled sadistically.

"I'm goin' ta enjoy this, wench." He flailed his cat at her, and it landed squarely on her chest, raising a long, thin, gashing welt above her breasts.

That was a tender area for certain, and her knees buckled beneath her, but she managed to stay standing, if shaking, and let out only a strangled cry. She reached up to touch it, and took a few breaths before looking up at Jimmy, who clearly had been expecting such a reaction. "S... Say what they want 'bout you, mate," she stammered, fighting to keep her composure, "but they can't be insultin' your aim now, can they?"

She meant it as a sarcastic compliment, and apparently that was how Jimmy took it too. His next lash was even more vicious, and if she hadn't known better she would have thought he'd been aiming to get it round her neck that time, because it was nearer her collarbone than her breasts that time.

She counted herself lucky that it was the final lash; he wasn't holding back and being casual about it like he had when he woke her. (Though, if tossing her down a flight of stairs was holding back, she prayed never to see his true force.)

The real pain of it struck her, and she shrieked as her knees gave out, unable to bear the strength of a second lash. Her legs hit the deck, but before she collapsed, Bill rushed down and caught her. She felt hot tears spilling out of her eyes, and she grabbed on to his shirt, pressing her head against his chest. "Lynn," he breathed, putting a hand on her back and trying to stand up with her. "Lynn, are you alright?"

Jimmy snorted. "Don't be coddlin' the lass now, Mister Turner. Do tha', 'n' she ain't gonna develop no spine fer 'erself. Gonna 'afta-"

"Bo'sun!" Davy's harsh voice rang out, and she was thankful for once because if he hadn't interrupted, she was sure Jimmy would have kept on mocking them. "Back tae work wit' ye."

"Cap'n-"

"_Now,_" he growled, and the eager but draggy footfalls indicated that it had been enough danger for Jimmy Legs now.

Bill had stood, and Lynn was trying to get to her feet without his aid, even though he looked like he wanted to just pick her up and hold her. Wouldn't want to give Jimmy more to complain about, after all. She clawed at his shoulder and felt horrible for it, surely she must be hurting him, but after a few seconds she managed to get one foot solidly on the deck. It was wobbling, and she couldn't quite push her other foot under her.

"C'mon Lynn," he urged, resisting the desire to offer her a hand to help pull her up. "You can do it, c'mon now. Up on yer feet now."

She let her muscles relax, and looked up at Davy. She tossed her blonde hair backward so she could see him better, and she couldn't tell of any emotion in his eyes. Like they were blank, just looking through her. "C-Captain..." she murmured, quickly pointing her eyes down.

He blinked, and then took his eyes away from her. "Mistah Turner! Ye clean up this mess 'n' Miss Blackwell, then the both of ye get back tae yer duties!" With that order, he turned, then there was the same wind-like noise she'd heard before, and he was gone.

"Alright, Lynn, we got it now." Bill carefully yanked her up, and slung her arm round his shoulder so she could lean on him. "Let's get ye taken care of."

It was a torturous walk down the stairs belowdecks, as the steps were only big enough for one person at a time. Bill went first, walking down backward in case she fell, and it was his idea that they hold onto each other's shoulders so she could be supported and he could keep her steady. He nearly tripped on the last step down, but just shrugged it off and guided her down.

There was nobody in their hammocks, and Bill told her to have a sit while he went to get some water so he could clean the lash marks. She lowered herself into her hammock over in the corner by the wall, and she laid down in it and just cried. There was no other way to pass the time till he got back.

After what felt like an eternity, he returned with a jarful of water and a ragged little piece of cloth. He let out a sigh when he got over to the hammock and saw her. "Lynn, c'mon now." He set the items down before taking the bottom of her shirt and lifting it cautiously over her head. "'Ere, don't wanna get this pretty thing all soaked." He folded it over her legs and peeked at the gashes. "Mmm, deeper'n I thought."

Lynn sobbed in a breath and looked over at him as he knelt down. "I-I want to go home, Bill," she choked out, a new round of tears starting. "Koleniko said it'd be eight years! I-I can't take eight years of _this!_"

"Don't you worry 'bout tha' righ' now." He dipped the cloth into the water and raised his hand, though he hesitated. "This gonna sting a bit; it ain't straight water, it's mix wit' rum. All we got aboard, I'm afraid."

She threw her arm over her eyes. "J-Just get it over with!"

"If you say so." He was light in pressing the cloth over the intersecting cuts across the top of her chest, and he cringed when it made her howl in pain. "Lynn, I ain't doin' it jus' ta hurt you. Ye don't wanna be bleedin' all ov'r yer shirt, do ye?"

"N-no." She gasped in a few breaths and drew her arm away, staring up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Bill. You're just trying to help, and look at me, acting like you're doing more harm than good. I'm so - really, you're a good man, I'm so sorry."

"But it hurts, I know." He wet it again, but he figured there had been too much extra on it the first time, so he was careful with it. "I ain't sayin' ye shouldn't be hurtin', but if you scream like tha', then the rest o' the crew gonna think ye can't handle. Lot of 'em would take advant'ge, jus' 'cause they wanna see ye fret. It ain't right, but they would."

She grimaced, barely managing to bite back a squeak of agony as he gently patted the water on her wounds. "I ought to give Jimmy Legs a taste of his own medicine, but I wouldn't have the first clue how to get back at him."

"The first clue is tha' ye _don't,_" Bill answered, shaking his head as he lowered the cloth down to wet it again. "You jus' mind yerself round him. Don't be mockin', don't address 'im as nothin' but 'sir', 'n' if he's givin' you a lashing, ye don't _speak._ It was fool, wha' ye did back there, Lynn. Jus' don't use that tone round him, 'n' mind yer bus'ness. Get a lashin', take it like a man." He looked down at her chest to apply the cloth again, and she could swear he blushed. "Argh, well, I mean... 'course, ain't no man got a chest like tha'."

Despite her condition, she laughed. "Oh, you're funny, Bill. You... You mean I've got to be tough, don't you?" She closed her eyes, and through sheer will kept herself from reaching up and scratching at her injuries. "I can own up to what I've done, that's not a problem. I'm just angry he had to do it so awfully hard. Does he always do it like this?"

"No." He pursed his lips together, and lifted the cloth. "Ye made him mad, but if he'd _really_ been mad, I would be seein' bone righ' now."

"I'm sorry, Bill." She looked up at him, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. "My first day even servin', and I manage to foul somethin' up. I... I didn't mean to cause you any trouble, mate."

"Didn't cause me no trouble, Lynn. I jus' hate seein' 'im whip anybody what don't deserve it."

"I _did_ deserve it. I was the one who got you talking to me."

"I shoulda been thinkin' about it," he said. "We don't get so long fer breaks, 'n'... I shoulda not let myself get so wrapped up in it. Now I don't want another word 'bout it, ye hear?"

"Yes sir," Lynn mumbled, gathering the courage to look down at her chest. God, it was a bloody sight. The places that hadn't been slashed by the cat were still raised and red, and as if the pain wasn't enough it still itched something terrible. "Bill, can you... can you tell me, if you know... what in the world is wrong with Captain Jones?"

He let the cloth fall, slopping down onto the floor. Then he sat down, saying something to himself about having to wait for it to dry off a bit before she put her shirt back on. "What d'ye mean, wrong wit' 'im? He be the owner of the seas' most violent temper, is what be _wrong_ wit' 'im."

"No, no..." She sat up just a little, though the pain ripped through her and prevented her from doing much else. "I saw something in his eyes... like he was considering telling Jimmy not to whip me." She pushed some of her hair back. "But clearly I got a lashing, so... he must have decided."

Bill looked down, wringing his hands. "Ye're a woman, Lynn. We ain't never had a woman on the crew. He prob'ly was wonderin' if he should take it easy on ye, but... he don't take it easy, woman er not."

"Oh, I thought so, I just..." She let out a deep breath before continuing, though the next words from her mouth frightened her. "Bill, I... I don't think he scares me as much as he should. I've heard all these awful legends, but... he _did_ take pity on me. He didn't cast me to the depths, and for that I'd like to make a friend of him, it's apparent that few people get so close..."

"Lynn..." He got to his feet, slowly and with all manner of groaning and visible discomfort. "Do an old man a favor, eh?" He grabbed her shirt and motioned her to sit up all the way. "_Stay away_ from Davy Jones. He ain't a good thing fer a body, 'n' he'll be nothin' but trouble fer ye."

She pushed herself up, nearly crying out if not for what he told her before. It was still fresh and sore, though it _had_ stopped bleeding, thank God. "Oh, Bill... how can I _stay away?_ He's captain."

He helped her slide the shirt back over her head, and clicked his tongue. "Ain't what I mean, Lynn, 'n' ye know it. Don't get no closer'n ye need to. Savvy?"

She rolled her eyes. "Bill, would it ease you if I gave you my word?"

"Aye. I'd worry 'bout ye less."

"Alright, then I give you my word. Won't get closer than necessary."

"Thank ye. Now up, we gotta get back ta our jobs, 'less ye're wishin' fer a second floggin'?"

She whimpered, but climbed out of her hammock with his aid. "Oh, it still hurts!"

"Aye, Lynn, I know. And t'morrow, I want ye to see Koleniko 'n' make sure it ain't got a plague in it."

"Koleniko? Why?"

"He tells us, he used ta be a doctor 'fore he turned ta piratin'. I'd check myself, but I ain't no doctor. I trust 'im more'n I trust myself fer somethin' like this. Now, I'm thinkin' it'll hurt ye ta move, but ye be caught slackin' off, jus' give the bo'sun more reason ta deal out a lashin', and tha'd be yer third ta'day." He grabbed her hands and started toward the stairs with her. "He already don't like ye, 'n' ye don't need to be goin' 'n' givin' 'im a whole list about why ta dislike ye more. Jus' stay on 'em, 'n' I'll see ye at noon mess."

She nearly forgot about the pain when she felt the sun's warmth on her skin again. "I do believe I'll survive the morning yet, Bill."

"Good thing." He looked out over the deck as she sat down with her task, then looked back at her. "'N', Lynn... bit o' advice, if ye'll have it?"

"What's that?"

It looked like he was torn between knowing something funny and trying not to laugh as he spoke. "Ye, er... ye migh' not want ta keep wearin' yer corset. I 'sume it was hard enough ta swim wit' it, but from what I know, ye can barely breathe in it. On this ship, ye'll need all the breath ye can get."

She laughed. "Oh, of course. That makes sense. Alright, Bill, thank you. Better get back to your work before Jimmy gets on you again."

He nodded at her. "Aye, see ye soon."

As he walked off, Lynn set back to her duties, scrubbing at the filth on the dishes. She'd be damned if she couldn't get them sparkling. She'd go above and beyond the call of duty and give Jimmy Legs nothing to grouch about!

She found that it eased the pain of her new lash marks some if she leaned over the tub while she worked, so she began to hum lowly as she tried to forget about the pain. After a few moments, she heard a sort of grunting behind her. She turned round a bit and saw the helmsman staring at her. "Oh! Ahoy... Greenbeard, wasn't your name?"

Instead of responding, he gave her a look where she could see his eyes shining and nervous. He raised his arm and pointed at her. More specifically, it looked as though he were pointing at her chest.

She blinked, glancing down. Her shirt wasn't thin or revealing, but even so the cuts were dark enough that one could see them through the fabric. "Oh... oh, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt too badly anymore."

He blinked back at her, but didn't quite move just yet.

She smiled and gave him a wave with her hand. "Go on, back to it... I don't want you getting flogged for talking to me when you ought to be steering."

He nodded slowly, then turned around. They both got back to their work, and that was that.

* * *

**Aww, poor Lynn, her first real Jimmy-lashing. He woke her up with it, but this time he was WAY harder on her, even with only two lashes. And across the chest?! Why, what on Earth is your problem, Davy? Can't stand a woman on the ship... not nice.**

**Oh well. We all know he's not exactly the nicest fellow to sail the seas...**

**Hope you guys liked! PLEASE review, and there'll be more soon! ^^**


	5. Chapter 5

**ZOMG FIC SPAM.**

**Lolz, not that you guys mind. Um, um... I shall now beg.**

***puppy dog eyes* REVIEEEEEWS? *hugs Bill* Hi, Bootsy!**

**Bill: ... Get off me now. And stop calling me that. It's Bootstrap, Bill, Mister Turner, ****_or nothing._**

**Me: Yessir! *goes to help Greens with the heading***

**Bill: ... Odd, that one. *walks off somewhere else***

**Now! Bit of interaction between Davy and Lynn, and a bit of an awkward moment LOL. But I'm trying to introduce her to her main group of buddies on the crew. Maccus, Niko, Hadras... Penrod... Bootsy Bill... and since I've recently discovered an undying love for Clanker, I wanted to put him in as one of her pals as well.**

**Will Jimmy stop being so mean and learn to love her? Or, er, at least not give her the cat every time she looks in his direction?**

**... Probably not, but oh well.**

**I promise next chapter, there shall be some much deserved one-on-one time with Lynn. So reviewers, AT THE READY. And secure that mast tackle, MISTAH TURNAH!**

**Jimmy: *pout* 'Ey, that be MY line, wench! *chases me with his cat***

**Me: REMEMBER, REVIEW ME BEAUTIES! *runs like hell***

* * *

Lynn worked for the rest of the morning with no incident, though every time Jimmy Legs walked by her, he would shoot her a sadistic smile and crack his whip. She supposed he just couldn't _wait_ to get at her with it again. It didn't help the situation that she heard Greenbeard hissing each time the bo'sun passed them, but it _did_ make her feel a bit better. If Jimmy came at her with no reason, at least she was fairly sure Greenbeard would fight him off. (And if worst came to worst, she could jump on his back and distract him. But she'd probably get lashings for it after.)

Bill got her from her task when it was time for noon mess, and it wasn't a big affair. She thought that most meals must not be on this ship. She carried the tub of meticulously washed dishes down to Old Haddy, and he must have been pleased with her work; he slopped a larger portion of what he'd made (she decided it must have been some kind of stew, except it'd gone cold) into a bowl for her. Bill laughed when she told him, and some of the other crewmembers behind her (Jimmy Legs and his mates, mostly) mumbled crossly after she stepped out of line.

She sat with Bill, against the wall, and Penrod came to sit on her side, seeming excited that he got to see her again. He even said so, that he'd missed her and someone told him what had happened that morning. He told her he felt bad that it had to be that way, but the captain was tough and he heard she'd been giving Jimmy cheek, which was a dangerous thing in itself even if you weren't being flogged at the moment, 'cause if you did it, you'd be getting the cat soon.

They didn't exactly get spoons, and she saw that some of the crew just used their hands to scoop it out. Bill said it wasn't usual where Haddy actually made something (usually it was just hardtack, jerk, and grog) so they were less concerned than they were typically about making use of their manners. He was a fair bit more polite, especially in her company, and just tipped the bowl up and drank the stew from that. She shrugged and followed his example; why get her hands dirty when there was a better method, anyway?

The first couple of times it was quiet, except for the others all talking over each other and Penrod chattering away between bites. Then she heard a slurp, and glanced over to see Bill looking rather embarrassed. He tried to stammer out an apology, but she just started laughing and made the same noise with her next swig. It was nice to have a break where she didn't have to worry about Jimmy, he was on the other side of the room. Not to mention, talking to Bill and Penrod and laughing with them kept her mind off speculation of what could happen while she was aboard this ship.

Truthfully, all she thought about during mess was maybe the time she spent here would be like this. Bill, Penrod, Maccus, and Koleniko as her best mates, working alongside each other and cracking jokes that made each other chuckle.

Well, she could hope, anyway.

* * *

Lynn was unbelievably on edge about ever talking to the captain. From that look she'd seen in his eyes before (or imagined she'd seen?), she suspected he wasn't the heartless brute he wanted her to believe he was, but for the life of her she hadn't yet experienced any other side of him. Every time she'd been round him, he scared her; and yet she wished to know more about him. She was confusing herself, was what it was...

She swallowed hard and took a breath, stepping up to the door. She could hear organ music playing inside, a lilting melody that somehow made her heart constrict and beat wildly in her chest. It was both lovely and sorrowful at the same time, and the thought occurred to her that perhaps he was confused too, about what kind of song to play.

Beautiful nonetheless, however. However he was playing, and she didn't know how, he was talented.

She bit her lip and reached up. Her hand shaking, she rapped her knuckles lightly against the door. "C-Captain?"

A cascade of sour notes rang out, followed by a nearly inaudible, brief string of curses. Then the music stopped altogether. "Enter," his voice answered her, and was a degree less harsh than it had been earlier.

She pulled the door open, and took a breath as she entered. Her steps were slow, and she tried not to make too much noise. She was probably disturbing him already.

He was sitting on a bench before a great organ, and it looked like he was sitting straight up. He didn't even turn to look at her as he spoke. "Wha' do ye want, Miss Blackwell?"

She rubbed at her arm, looking around the chambers. They were bigger than the door would have suggested. "Er, well... Old Haddy, he's told me he won't need my help after noon mess. Told me to come see you... what should I do in the afternoons?"

She heard him snort, and she felt like sighing. It was true, she _was_ being an annoyance to him now. "Go see wha' duties the crew has fer ye. Cannae find anythin' tae do, I... s'pose ye can clean about belowdecks."

"Oh, alright. Thank you, sir." She turned swiftly and glanced back briefly. Curious to see how he played the organ, she got very near the door and creaked it loudly, making believe that she'd left.

He didn't do anything but sigh. "I know everythin' tha' happens on this ship, Miss Blackwell. Ye can't easily make a fool o' me. Nice try, but ye're mad if ye though' it'd work. Was there somethin' else?"

An awful grin spread across her face, and she giggled sheepishly, like a child who'd been caught doing something he oughtn't. "I, um... I just... wanted to say... I-I don't know if the crew's told you, Captain Jones, but I think you play a wonderful tune. I've never heard such beautiful music."

For a moment he was silent, which worried her. She'd meant it as a compliment, but maybe he didn't see it that way, or maybe he didn't care much for being complimented, especially in the rather awkward manner she'd just done so. "Ye can leave any time, Miss Blackwell. I should think ye wouldn't want the bo'sun to find ye not workin' after wha' he did tae ye this mornin'."

She gulped and instinctively reached up to press against the marks. That had been a bad idea, because it stung the second she touched it. She barely held back a cry, and almost fell to her knees as the room suddenly swam about her.

She heard him stand up. "Miss Blackwell, are ye righ', er do ye need a rest?"

She groped for something to hold onto, and felt herself falling forward. She fell into something, and when she could see again, she was none too comforted to find that she'd taken a dive straight into Davy - or, more specifically, his chest. She looked up into his eyes for a moment, and quickly pushed herself away, completely mortified. "I - I, oh God, I-I'm so sorry, Captain," she apologized, nearly falling the other way as she tried to back out of the room. "I didn't mean to..."

"I tol' ye," he rolled his eyes, "I know everythin' tha' happens on this ship. I could tell ye were goin' tae lose yer balance. Bo'sun's already broken yer skin; last thing I need is ye takin' a spill headfirst 'n' breakin' the rest o' yerself."

"Y-Yes sir." She drew her eyes down.

"Wha' happened tha' ye lost yer bearin's? Somethin' startle ye?"

"No, I just... where I got lashed. I touched it, didn't mean to, but it still hurts, is all." She blinked, not taking her eyes off the floor. "Should... Should I go now, sir?"

He turned around, and she watched him limp back over to the bench. "Aye. Hard as it seems fer ye, try not tae do anythin' that'll result in the bo'sun breakin' out his cat on ye fer the third time."

"Yes, sir. Of course. Have a fine afternoon yourself, and thank you again." Getting no reply, she quickly bowed and bolted for the door.

Once outside, she took a look about to see where the crew was while trying to convince her heart to stop beating so fast. It didn't take her long to find them all, because most of them were gathered round the capstan, while Jimmy Legs was standing off to the side of it, cracking his whip at the deck. As she got closer, she heard him shout to the others, "Get in position, lads! We ain't got time fer ye scurvy bilge-brains ta be slow!"

She winced at his tone (and the sound of the cat hitting the deck) and walked over to Maccus, who was leaning against a bar looking bored, probably waiting for everyone else to decide they were ready. "Ahoy, Maccus."

He looked up, and there was a slight twitch of his lips. "Ahoy, lass. You ain't down helpin' Ole Haddy?"

She shook her head, leaning against the bar. "Said he don't need me after noon mess. Sent me to the captain."

"Aye? 'N' wha'd 'e say?"

"To see what you mates have for me to do. If nothin', then he said I should clean belowdecks."

"Ah... a clean hammock'd feel nice," he chuckled, straightening up a bit, "but ye're jus' in time ta help raise the anchor. We always stop for noon mess, so now we gotta hoist 'er up again. Ye feel up ta lendin' a hand?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Ah... heard Jimmy got at ye wit' 'is cat." He scratched at the back of his neck. "Didn't hear what for, though."

She shook her head. "I was talking to Bill during his break, and Jimmy was gonna whip 'im for slackin' off. So then Captain came along, and told him to whip me instead."

"Aye, sounds like the kinda thing Capt'n would do." His good eye flickered over to Jimmy, then back to her. "Five lashes?"

"No, two." She pointed to her chest, but didn't dare touch it again. "But right across the chest - hurt like anything. I figure it would hurt just a bit less on your back."

"Ah. So he got ye bad, eh?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be alright." She sighed, draping herself over the bar a bit. "In his defense, I probably shouldn't've given 'im cheek. I said people could say what they wanted 'bout 'im, but nobody could say anything 'bout 'is aim."

Maccus snorted. "Lass, much as tha's temptin' the fates right there, I gotta say, it took courage. Not ta mention... funny 's hell." He gave her back a rough pat. "The pain'll get better 'fore ye know it. I say it was a great trade-off - wish I coulda seen the look on 'is face when ye said it..."

She pushed herself up. "So, mind if I partner up with you?"

He shrugged. "Mind, nay. But Niko already called the spot."

Her shoulders slumped. "Oh." Did that mean she'd have to be partners with someone she didn't know yet? If she was lucky, maybe Bill didn't have a partner yet and she could catch up to him...

Maccus rolled his eye. "Lynn! By God, toughen up. Say one disappointin' thing, ye looked like ye just taken a kick ta the face. I think there's an open place jus' ahead, next ta Clanker. Ye better hurry 'fore ye get stuck partnerin' wit' Crash. 'E takes up more room than 'e's worth, the little bugger."

She nodded, sucking in a breath as she moved the wrong way and brushed her chest against the bar. "Sure he won't mind?"

"Nah, he'll like ta have comp'ny. Us'lly he's alone, er else 'is partner don't talk to 'im. Oh, 'n' lass - do ye know the 'Drunken Sailor' song?"

"Aye, that's my favorite."

"Right. I lead 'em, so I think I'm gonna use that one this time. Everyone sings, 'n' when we go it on the _'weigh heigh 'n' up she rises'_, that's when ye stomp yer feet. All the rest o' the while, just walkin' round turnin' the capstan. Savvy?"

She nodded. "Aye-aye! Thank you, Maccus."

"Jus' keep up!"

She walked forward and saw a single man at the next bar, rapping on it and seeming as bored as Maccus had. This man was stouter than Maccus, wore a hat, and his hair looked like seaweed; sort of like Bill's, but thicker and not quite as long. He had barnacles covering nearly the entire left side of his face, mussels growing about his left shoulder, and there looked to be a hole ringed with shells on his forehead. She came up and reached out to tap his arm. "Um, hello?"

He wasn't startled, but he did raise an eyebrow at her. (Or, well, would have, if he'd had any.) "Aye, lass?" He wasn't very loud, but by the sound of his voice he had a fairly prominent accent, somewhere between English and Irish - or Scottish, like Davy's? She wasn't sure, really, what the other half was, but there would certainly be no mistaking his voice in a crowd.

She twirled her fingers, and quickly pointed at the empty spot beside him. "This place taken, mate?"

He shook his head. "Nay. 'Sides Crash, I'm the las' one most o' the crew want tae be stuck wit'."

"Oh, _stuck?_ I doubt you're really that bad." She got closer and put both hands on her side of the bar. "I do believe I'll choose right here, then - that is, if you don't mind."

"Aye, tha's fine." He looked over at her. "Ye mus' be the new lass, Maccus tol' me he 'auled ye aboard las' nigh'."

"Name's Lynn." She reached out her hand. "And Maccus said your name was... Clanker?"

"Aye, tha's me. 'Cause I'm always bumpin' intae things, ye see." He shook her hand, though lightly. "Pleasure tae meet such a bonny lass as yerself. We don't get much o' tha' aboard this ship."

"Oh!" She blushed. "Pleasure's all mine, really." She held herself up on the bar, feeling the sting of her wounds returning. "Ooh! By God, if I'm still alive by the end of the _day,_ it'll be a bloody miracle..."

She saw him scratch his head, pushing his hat up. "Somethin' the matter, Miss Lynn?"

She shook her head, blowing out a breath. "Bo'sun got me across the chest earlier. S'pose I ought to count myself lucky it was only two 'stead of five, but I swear it _feels_ like five. I said somethin' and got him mad, I think, is why he cracked it harder than he did to wake me up."

"Aye." Clanker nodded, though he did look sorry for her. "'E ain't known fer bein' merciful on 'is _best_ days. You prob'ly caught 'im in a bad mood 'n' yer talkin' back jus' pushed him further."

"Aye. Bill helped me out, but... I accident'ly touched it a moment ago. 'N' I keep movin' all wrong so it keeps on hurting." She pushed some of her bangs back. "I wonder why no one ain't want to partner with you. Compared to some of the others, you're actually kind."

Clanker snorted. "There be the problem. I fight, 'n' I'm 's bloodthirsty 's any o' the rest, but they think I'm weak jus' 'cause other'n tha' I treat people decent. Y'know, people wha' aren't tryin' tae kill us. Like you."

She reached over and put her hand on his shoulder, smiling. "I think that's the way to do it, Clanker. Don't stop bein' like that just 'cause of what these boneheads think of you." She drew her hand away, then as an afterthought, added, "And I like you, too. We can be friends, aye?"

To her surprise, he smiled back. "I'd like that, Miss Lynn. I ain't had me a beautiful friend in years."

"I'd like it too. If I make as many friends as I can..." She closed her eyes. "Maybe my time here won't be so bad." She opened them again and gave him a grin. "Long 's I got friends, who knows? Eight years, it'll fly by just like that! I figure I won't even have time to _blink_ before-"

"A'right ye bunch o' lazy bums!" She winced as Jimmy's whip hit the deck. "Get to it 'fore I give ev'ry one o' ye twenty lashes!"

Lynn steeled herself against the bar, ready to push. Truth be told, she was a little scared since it was her first time doing something like this, but she figured if she just followed how Clanker did it, she'd be fine.

"HEAVE AWAY!" she heard Maccus yell, thumping his hand on the bar, and then he started the song. He was loud, and obnoxious in his own right, and he certainly didn't sound very happy that his first mate duties had been demoted to leading a glorified slave march.

"_What'll we do wit' a drunken sailor?_" It was actually more shouting than singing, but the moment the first note was heard, everyone began moving. It was a steady pace, not too fast or slow, and Lynn found herself a little more confident as she remembered the rhythm and began singing along. She heard Clanker singing beside her, and he didn't sound awfully bright either, but if this was the kind of labor they did every day (and more), she doubted he felt like being bright. "_What'll we do wit' a drunken sailor? What'll we do wit' a drunken sailor - early in the mornin'?_"

Their pace slowed down a little, and they all took large, thudding steps for the next part. Lynn was almost caught off guard; maybe she didn't remember the song as well as she thought she had. Clanker had to nudge her and motion for her to make her steps heavier as she pushed, giving it more effort. (Lest she suffer the bo'sun's wrath for slacking, she supposed.)

"_Weigh heigh 'n' up she rises, weigh heigh 'n' up she rises, weigh heigh 'n' up she rises..._" She almost fell, but she caught herself before anyone except Clanker noticed, and gave it twice as much force with her next step. And somehow they all managed to keep singing. "_Early in the mornin'!_"

They resumed their previous pace, and Lynn couldn't stop to catch her breath. She heard Jimmy's cat crack dangerously close, and for a moment she was truly afraid she'd been whipped again. But there was no pain, and she counted herself lucky, until she heard a brief, low cry from beside her. She quickly looked over and made out a pained expression on Clanker's face - what she could see of it, anyway. "Clanker!" she whispered, leaning over a bit. "Are you alright?"

He nodded, mouthing for her to be quiet. It didn't really matter that she'd spoken though, because Maccus was starting the next verse.

"_Put 'im in a longboat till 'e's sober, put 'im in a longboat till 'e's sober, put 'im in a longboat till 'e's sober..._" She couldn't get over the look on Clanker's face, and she couldn't take her eyes off him even as they both continued walking and turning the capstan. It was horrible; why was he being flogged if he hadn't done anything worth punishing? Just to make him work harder? Was that why Jimmy was doing this, to make sure they were giving it all they had? "_Early in the mornin'!_"

She was harshly tempted to reach over and offer him some comfort, but she was sure Jimmy would see that. And then he'd have an excuse to give _her_ the cat too. Poor Clanker, of course, but damn it all, she wasn't exactly up for a third lashing. The most she could do was cast a glance his way and hope she wasn't the next unlucky soul the whip landed on.

"_Weigh heigh 'n' up she rises!_" Back to the slower pace, with more effort put forth. Lynn swore that maybe this was just to test their stamina and those who couldn't stand it, well... clearly they weren't here, were they? "_Weigh heigh 'n' up she rises, weigh heigh 'n' up she rises... early in the mornin'!_"

They all kept pace, but she heard Maccus call out to her. "'Ey, Lynn! I wager ye could lead a verse, eh? What'll we do wit' our drunken sailor nex'?"

She blinked, and smirked. She smacked her hand against the bar a few times, continuing to help Clanker push the bar. Maybe there wasn't a way to get any sort of revenge on Jimmy Legs without being assaulted by his cat, but most of these men had heard she'd been flogged twice already. Why not show them she could make a joke of her entire situation?

"_Give 'im a taste of the bo'sun's rope end!_" she sang to the heavens, though the sound pushed the definition of the word _singing._

Obviously Maccus found it funny, because she could hear him behind her roaring with laughter. Several of the others were trying and failing to hold back their snickering, and Clanker was chuckling beside her.

Well, that was all the encouragement she needed to keep going, and louder too. "_Give 'im a taste of the bo'sun's rope-end! Give 'im a taste of the bo'sun's rope-end! Early in the mornin'!_"

"Ye're righ' beggin' fer it now, Miss Lynn," Clanker teased, as they started the other part.

"Ye better 'ope ye don't get the cat again taday, wench!" she heard Jimmy scream at her, and said cat hit the deck hard. "I'll strip yer back of flesh 'n' I'll keep goin' till _yer bloody bone's numb!_"

She didn't let him see her smother a fit of giggles. _Maccus was right - getting his goat is completely, utterly WORTH IT!_

* * *

Lynn stumbled over to the side once the anchor was raised (and Jimmy had gone off in search of some other poor souls to torment) so Clanker could get out as well. "Ye better watch yerself fer the next day er so," she heard Maccus say as he gave her a slap on the back. "He's after ye now!"

"Let 'im be!" she called, turning just slightly to see him walking off. "I won't give 'im anything to complain about!"

"See ye later, Lynn. Ye be careful, 'n' don't let anybody push ye about." Clanker gave her what she assumed was supposed to be a wink. "I might have ta set 'em straigh' if they be 'arassin' ye."

She shook her head, smiling. "Aye, but you best not be going too brutish on me, Clanker! I'll see you at dinner."

She was about to go look for something else to do when Bill walked up to her, almost trying to contain a smile. "Lynn," he declared, reaching over to put a hand on her shoulder and holding back a chuckle, "_you_ have got some many sorts of nerve, I'll give ye that. Don't go lookin' fer any more trouble t'day, ye hear?"

She laughed and patted his shoulder as well. "Don't worry about me, Bill. I think I'll be just fine."

He nodded, giving her a salute as he walked off.

She bit her lip, walking over to the bulwark and putting her hands on it, looking out over the ocean. This ship was dim, damp, and none too cheery, but the sun's rays were glinting rather brilliantly off the sea's waves. It seemed to brighten up everything, including her mood and the atmosphere of the ship. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad here after all, if she could stay out of Jimmy Legs's way and only talk to the members that were more like Clanker in terms of personality.

Perhaps, aboard this ship, there was something better. Something that contrasted with the rest of its mood, like a few rays of the sun making the otherwise mysterious sea sparkle like that. Maybe she could find something bright in the darkness. That was the saying, wasn't it? - _whatever you're seeking, look for it in the last place you would expect to find it, and there it shall be._

"Miss Lynn?"

She was a little startled, but turned and tried not to show it. She found herself looking at a young man whose head was halfway enveloped by what looked to be a conch shell. To her, it seemed like he looked halfway between a shy smile and tears. Not to mention, he looked a little familiar... "Oh, hello. How do you know my name?"

"I talk to ye earlier. We were s'posed ta be 'sleep, but ye were nervous."

"Oh!" She shook her finger at him, trying to remember his name. "You're - You're Hadras! Good to meet you properly. Can I do something for you?"

He shrugged. "Well... I hear ye got whip, 'n' I'm sorry fer that, but y'are funny 'bout it. Wonderin' if ye want ta work wit' me, if ye don't have nothin' else ye gotta do."

She walked closer, patting his arm. "Sure! I was about to go looking for another job anyway. So, what are we doing?"

He pointed up toward the sails. "Mendin' the sail. We gotta climb up ta do it, 'n' I ain't so good at mendin' either. I jus' thought..."

"That I could sew, because I'm a woman?" She shook her head, and was tempted to call him out for it, but it looked like he didn't know any better. He wasn't mocking her, he sincerely thought that if you were a woman, you knew how to sew. "Well, you're not wrong. I'd be happy to help."

Apparently he decided which expression he wanted, because he gave her a smile. "_Arigato!_ I knew ye were good person. Righ', so we gotta climb up th' mast wit' the needle 'n' thread. Kinda hard ta get balance at firs', but if ye could be careful 'n' try not ta kick my 'ead off when ye're climbin'?"

He walked off and Lynn stared blankly after him for a moment before following. _H... His HEAD? His... His head __**comes off?!**_

Maybe living here would take a bit more adjusting that she thought.

* * *

**Fufufufufu~ Hadras, you're just so adorable.**

**Hadras's head: AUNIDO! AUNIDO! I'M OVER HERE, YE BUMBLIN' HALF-WIT!**

**Hadras's body: *smack***

**Me: Ye hit the mizzenmast again, lad!**

**Hadras's head: Owowowowowow...**

**Me: Shake it off, lads, ye'll be fine!**

**Now... *rubs handtogether* REVIEW MY PRETTIES! AHAHAHAHAHA.**

**Er, uh, next chapter should be really good! I hope. Thanks fer readin'! ^^**


	6. Chapter 6

**Heeeeey! It's been a while guys. LOL!**

**Bit of a filler, but then toward the middle (end?) there is PLOT. Hehehe, surprise ain't it? Like those cupcakes filled with pudding. You're all eatin' the cupcake and then you're all "Whaa? PUDDING? Wow this is great! Icing on the cake!" ... Or, y'know... pudding in the cupcake, as it were.**

**Or, um, plot in the story...?**

**Y'know what, forget it. Reading it will be much better anyway...**

**Oh! And before I go all scatter-brained, be sure to check out my new "How Not to Get Thrown Overboard the Flying Dutchman". It's a sort of rulebook! Very funny, and if you have a suggestion for a rule, review yay!**

**Ahem, yes, well, I hope you enjoy the new chapter! :D**

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The next two weeks weren't the best time of Lynn Blackwell's life, but they weren't atrociously awful either. She worked with Bill on rigging some days, helped raise the anchor (as everyone, including Jimmy Legs, had grown accustomed to her verse of "Drunken Sailor"), and the first couple of days helped Hadras with things that needed mending. To her dismay, once the crew found out that she could sew, they came to her whenever they needed anything fixed up. She was happy to do it, but she felt some of them (Hadras said, namely, that it was Ogilvey and Quittance) were taking advantage of her.

It was a bit of a blessing though, because when she was mending something, she'd sit down by the helm and talk to Greenbeard. He didn't much talk back, of course, but he'd said that whatever she wanted to tell him, she could. He wasn't going to be running about blabbing her secrets, and he liked to listen to the stories she told him about when her father was first mate on the _Angel May._

She'd gone to Koleniko after her first day, faithfully as Bill had told her, to see if the lash marks on her chest were healing properly. Niko (as the rest of the crew called him and she'd taken to, as well) inspected them with an impressed eye, saying Bill had done a fair job and that those were alright. But, he'd also caught sight of the ones on her leg, which had begun aching her terribly. They'd darkened, almost so as to look like a bruise, and he was alarmed; after a closer look, he told her it was his opinion that they'd become infected.

She was surprised, and her heart filled with worry when he'd said that. Her next course of action, logically, was to ask what he could do about it. After a moment more of looking at it, he told her to lie down in her hammock and wait. When he returned, he had a bottle of rum and a rag. He carefully soaked the rag with rum, and proceeded to slop it about on her leg, making sure it burned each and every inch of the wounds.

She shrieked as it happened, but then bit back her cries. It felt horrible, and the second he was done she shouted at him, "_What the __**hell**__ was that for?!_" He laughed, wrapping up her leg with seaweed, in lieu of bandages. He said that doctors used alcohol to offset infections, and as rum was the only type of alcohol they had at the time, it would have to do. He sat there with her for a moment once it was wrapped, holding her legs down to keep her from kicking out of agony and expressing his hope that this would kill the infection.

A good doctor he may have been, but brutal, too.

She could barely limp round the ship for the rest of the day. She whimpered under her breath, and stuck out her leg as she sat by the helm, mending. Every now and then she would hunch over and start crying, though it was usually short-lived. She knew she couldn't take too much time to drown in self-pity, or she'd feel the sting of the whip again. But for God's sake, it felt like an entire bottle of iodine had been dumped on the injuries.

Thankfully, Niko had checked on it before she went to bed that night, and it was much better. The color had lightened up, making him sigh with relief, and he promised her that tomorrow, he'd give her an entire bottle of rum to drink. (Though he warned her she probably didn't want to down in it one gulp if she didn't want to be vomiting the entire day.) He wanted to keep it covered with seaweed till it was completely healed though, because he said infections couldn't thrive as easily if they weren't exposed to the air.

She decided she had to try to stop wallowing in her pain, because she was almost _sure_ she'd seen _Davy_ looking at her in pity one time when he'd come out. Bill and Clanker were one thing, but she must really be pathetic if the Captain felt bad for her.

All in all, though, within a week her leg was much better, and in fact so were the lash marks on her chest. She'd gotten a lash to the back a few times while she was raising anchor with the others, and she thought that perhaps she should find another layer to wear like a coat during that. She had only her shirt, since she'd taken to not wearing her corset, and she'd noticed that the others didn't usually have as much pain as she did after that, probably because they didn't just have one layer. (The ones who went shirtless, though, oh! The pain must rival hers even.)

Niko was getting annoying, as he kept pulling her aside every time she received a lash after raising anchor. He said that with her apparent vulnerability to infection, he ought to take precautionary measures and guard the wounds against becoming infected with a rag of alcohol each time. (She wouldn't have thought he knew words like that, but the right agony of his irritating "precautionary measures" would teach her to judge, wouldn't it?)

She'd learned Liar's Dice from Clanker, though she lost poorly. Whenever anyone played with her, they didn't bother wagering because she had yet to win a single game. And if by some fluke of the fates she did win, they all knew the only one she'd hold anything over was Jimmy Legs, who refused to play with her.

Speaking of whom, Jimmy had stopped waking her up every morning, and now it was either Hadras or Clanker who got her up before he could turn his cat on her. They figured if she was already awake, what reason would he have to whip her awake? None! She found herself both amused by and grateful for their plan.

She discovered that Clanker and Hadras were good friends as well, since Hadras wasn't particularly cruel either. He really was a sweet lad, and she found out he'd been younger than she was when he'd come aboard the ship to serve; he'd been just a few weeks shy of his twenty-first birthday. He didn't quite have it in his heart to commit truly heinous acts. Mostly he just tried to follow orders and stay out of trouble.

Of course, the youngest got taken advantage of, though. There was one time she'd come back from noon mess to find that he'd gotten his head knocked off again, which wouldn't be so bad to remedy in itself; however, seemingly just to make her upset, she saw that Ogilvey, Quittance, and the Twins were playing a disturbing game of keep-away with it. And his body was just bumbling about looking for it, poor dear, while his head shouted various Japanese obscenities (well, she _assumed_ he was rather cursing them out - _she_ would be!) at the three.

She'd also found a few new friends - Finnegan (who she called Finny), Jelly (who was like Hadras, but grinned more), and Palifico (who mostly served as a guard).

Finnegan had looked intimidating at first, because he snarled, but Niko explained to her that he just had a condition with his lip, and couldn't really make any other expression. He was actually a pleasant fellow.

Jelly liked to joke with her, and even though some of them weren't funny she laughed anyway. It wasn't like she could listen to his laugh and not laugh along, that was impossible.

Palifico she didn't see that often, but when she did they liked to watch the stars together. He was a quiet one, and it was usually him that calmed her down if she couldn't find any of her other mates.

She knew everyone told her, the whole ship was downright ruthless. But so far, she had yet to see the brute in anyone but Jimmy and Davy. (Well, and Maccus.) She thought they were good mates, most of them.

As the date for making port approached, everyone got a lighter mood about them. Maccus was more cheery in leading the shanties; people stopped stealing Hadras's head just because it was funny; hell, even Jimmy lightened up a bit on everybody. Lynn had thought that first day, that she would want to go on land with them as well. She did want to, sort of... but she still wanted to know what was the matter with Davy.

She knew that Bill had told her the problem was his temper; she was certain it was deeper than simply that. There was _something_ in his eyes that first day, she knew it. Something that said he wanted to trust her, but he couldn't. Like something about her struck him as untruthful; made him uneasy. She had to find out why. It killed her, not knowing, because by this point more than half the ship trusted her. So why couldn't he?

Maccus said they made port every three months, and she showed up two weeks from their next date. So this would be her only chance for three more months to be alone with Davy and figure out what it was about her that he couldn't trust. (Not to mention, if she tried to go into his cabin and talk any other time, Jimmy'd probably get on her for slacking; that, or she'd be thrown out.)

It was a miracle Jimmy didn't even turn his whip at them as they turned the capstan and dropped anchor at the port. Most of them were already wearing cloaks and such. (She knew Niko had said "disguises" before, but to her it looked like they were _asking_ to be stared at.) It took less time than normal, since they were all anxious to get onto land.

Maccus had been the main one bragging 'bout "cracking Jenny's teacup" or some talk like that. Niko had rolled his eyes at that, explaining to Lynn what it meant, and told her not to worry; with all the rum he was planning to bring back, he'd get Maccus drunk enough to be _quiet_ for once. Hadras didn't know what he was most excited about yet, but Lord was he excited. Clanker said he was looking forward to lying about on the sand for awhile, with nothing to do but sleep.

Not to mention, the one thing that got them all hyped: _the sun._ There wasn't a single man aboard who wasn't eager for the sun's warmth on his skin. Lynn was a bit amused - after all, if it turned out to rain while they were on land, she was sure she didn't want to be anywhere near the riot they'd start.

She got out of the way and Clanker stumbled out. She went over and chuckled, reaching up and adjusting the scarf he'd tied round his head, beneath his hat. "Honestly, Clanker, y're gonna kill yourself tryin' to see with this thing over your good eye."

He shrugged. "Aye, I may 'ave tae take it off. Cannae barely see wha's..." At that point, he took a step and promptly fell onto his face. "... In front o' me," he finished, mumbling into he deck where he'd landed.

She resisted a laugh at his expense and grabbed his arm. "You're taking it off and that's final, me good sir." She hauled him up to his feet, snatching the scarf away from him. "You won't be stumbling about 'n' running into things any more than usual, not on my watch."

"Aww, ye're not any fun, Miss Lynn." He crossed his arms once he'd gotten back up.

The others were gathering around her, probably wanting to protect her from the very thing they were about to greet with open arms; alcohol and the pleasure of the flesh. "Aye, 'n' ye don't even have ta dress up like the rest o' us," Maccus complained, though he was grinning.

"Agreed," Koleniko snorted. "I mean, wha' is this, a damn masq'rade er somethin'?"

"Actually, lads..." She took a step back, rubbing her arm. "I changed my mind. I was figurin' I'd stay behind for this one. I'll go with you next time though."

There was an outcry from many of them. "But ye _have_ ta come!" Hadras complained, grabbing her arm. "I wanted ta split a beer wit' ye!"

"Lass, ye said ye wanted ta come earlier," Koleniko added, blinking at her with both eyes.

"Th-That was the first night I _got_ here, Niko!" she defended.

"Won't be 's fun 'n' smiley wit'out ye, Miss Lynn," Clanker frowned. "All it'll be wit'out ye is this'n..." He jerked a thumb at Jimmy. "Takin' bets on 'ow much 'e can drink 'fore 'e passes out! T'ain't a good situation fer anyone whether 'e wins _or_ loses!"

Jimmy growled. "Ye'll be the firs' one gettin' a lashin' when we get back, mate! 'N' I'll be lookin' _forward_ ta it!"

Lynn stepped forward a little, spreading out her arms. "Alright, alright," she called, a bit nervously. If a fight broke out, _she_ wouldn't be able to stop it. "Now, boys, let's calm down. No need to start at each other's throats like animals."

Jimmy pointed his cat at her. "'N' ye'll be the second one gettin' it, lass!"

She glared at him. "Fine, then! I couldn't care less! But right now, you shut yer bloody mouth 'n' leave Clanker alone, he didn't do nothin' to you. Ain't his fault he's disappointed. 'N' I'd bet that _is_ all you're plannin' to do, ain't it?"

He opened his mouth to retaliate that no, he had other things planned. But after a moment of standing there impersonating a dying fish, he cracked his whip on the deck and closed his mouth, crossing his arms over his chest. "... Ye're stupid. And a girl. Stupid girl."

She kept herself from aiming a kick at him, and just rolled her eyes. "Fair enough, bo'sun. Now kindly refrain from addin' any more to the conversation, thank you."

"Wha' changed yer mind, Lynn?" Maccus asked, walking forward.

She shrugged. "Well, I just... you know, you said Captain can't go on land but once in ten years. Yet you all get to make port every three months. I just wondered... how must he feel?"

"Glad we're off ship fer a day," Hadras answered. "That way he c'n be alone 'n' not have ta deal wit' any o' us."

"I think tha's true," Clanker agreed, looking over at Lynn. "'E likes it better alone any'ow, Miss Lynn. Rather 'ave the ship tae 'imself fer a while."

"I don't like that idea much either, Lynn," Bill spoke up. "It would worry me ta have you... alone here wit' 'im. Thinkin' of what might happen if none of us were here ta protect ye."

She put her hands on her hips. "You all know that I _don't_ always need your protection just because I'm a woman... right?"

She looked at Maccus. "Maccus, you were the one that took me aboard, and I thank you for that. But I _am_ capable of getting out of unsavory situations without your help."

He looked down at the deck, muttering something he was probably hoping she didn't hear as he stiffly straightened the cloak about his top half.

Then over at Koleniko. "Niko, you got my leg to heal. I'm grateful for that, but I'm _not_ so clumsy as to hurt myself if you're not there to fuss over me. You're the coxswain, not my mum."

He couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes either; instead he rubbed his neck, looked away, and cleared his throat.

She looked at the youngest of the group. "Hadras, I love that you look up to me, and I enjoy doing things with you. But truth is, sometimes I just..."

"Need time away from me?" His voice had gotten higher, and she swore he looked like he was about to cry.

"Yes - well, no, no!" She shook her head. "Time away from _everybody._ You know, with just one other person. You know how crammed we are on the ship, especially in the hammocks. It'll be nice for all of us."

He pouted. "Aye. _Watashi wa shitte iru._"

She turned her head. "And Clanker, it's very sweet of you to want to defend my honor or... what have you. But there _are_ times I can defend my own honor, savvy?"

He wrung his scarf tight in his hands, sighing and making eye contact for maybe two seconds before jerking his eyes down.

She looked at the last member of her little group. "And you, Bill, have been an absolutely wonderful friend to me. We'll always be friends, won't we?"

He glanced down, but then unlike the others, he looked back up. "Lynn, you gave me your word. No closer'n necessary."

She took a step forward and grasped his shoulder. "I know. I know I did, but... you have to understand, Bill, that for me, this _is_ necessary." She looked right into his eyes. "I _must_ investigate here and find my answer. If I don't, the next eight years of my life are going to be miserable."

She gave a look to all of them, drawing away from Bill. "And believe me, lads, if the next eight years of_ my_ life are _miserable,_ I will make sure the next eight years of _yours_ are half a step from _hell._" She doubted she could really do that, but she would definitely _try._

After a moment of silence, Clanker took off his hat briefly. "Sorry, Miss Lynn," he mumbled. "We jus' worry 'bout ye, tha's all."

"Aye - we don't want ye gettin' hurt," Koleniko added.

"'N' we know what the captain's capable of," Maccus interjected.

"Y'ain't been here long," Hadras spoke up, surprising everyone. When they all looked over, there were tears shining in his eyes, but he was stubbornly holding them in. "If ye make Captain mad, he could change 'is mind... _anata gata wa, watashitachi no yō ni owaru kamo shirenai._"

She took a breath, then briefly looked down. When she looked back up, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Hadras. "Love, it's alright. I won't do anything to make him angry."

He put his arms around her too, and even as a couple tears slipped down his face, he didn't make any noise. "Y-Ye cannot be like us," he said clearly, closing his eyes. "_Iie._ Never."

"Oh, Hadras." She patted his back lightly, rubbing her hand across his back, over the cape he was wearing. She held him tight and pressed her face into his shoulder. "I promise you, I'll be fine. You don't have to worry 'bout me. When you come back, everything's going to be just the same as when you left. I give you my word."

"Ye gave _me_ yer word too," she heard Bill say.

She threw him a mild glare, then let go of Hadras. "Nothing's going to change, I promise. Savvy?" She gripped his arms tightly. "Now! You dry your eyes, lad. Don't dare concern yourself wit' me. You go out there, 'n' you have a bloody good time in my stead! I'll come along next time, I swear it."

He quickly wiped the tears away, taking a deep breath. "_Hai, Lynn-san._"

"There's a good lad, now." She gave him a soft punch on the shoulder. "Don't let worries cross your mind _once_ today." She crossed her arms and looked at the others, smiling. "I should think you'd all want to get going. Don't want to waste your one day in three months, do you?"

They all looked at each other, seeming to have some sort of nonverbal conversation between them. Except for Jimmy Legs. He extended his hand, and his whip came at her. At first she flinched, afraid she was going to be lashed _again._ But to her surprise, its handle just hit her arm and fell to her feet. She opened her eyes, then raised an eyebrow.

"Keep 'n eye on that fer me, lass," Jimmy grunted, waiting for no one and climbing down onto the ground. "Maybe ye can figure out 'ow ta use it. _Give ye more r'spect fer it the next time I lash ye wit' it!_" He proceeded to walk off, laughing loudly at a joke that nobody else thought was funny.

She sighed and tucked it into the belt of her pants. "Aye, bo'sun, sir. Might respect it so much _I'll have to try it out when you get back,_" she hissed through clenched teeth, and she actually fingered the handle as if considering it.

Maccus snickered. "Ye know, I'd pay more ta see _that_ than I would ta see tha' l'il whore-"

Koleniko elbowed his mate harshly in the ribs. "Maccus! We're in polite comp'ny 'ere."

"Aye," Hadras agreed, grabbing Maccus's arm and pulling him toward the side of the ship to go down. "_Lynn-san_ be a lady!"

"Pfft, ye think I ain't _seen_ that? I can't stop lookin'!"

Clanker smacked Maccus's shoulder. "C'mon, mate, be decent fer once. Y'are _cap'ble_ of it, ain't ye?"

Hadras gave the shark-man a push. "_Lynn-san!_ Do ye want me ta get anythin' for ye?"

"Oh no, that's fine, Hadras." She barely held back a few giggles. "You don't have to spend your money on me."

Clanker put his hat back on before tipping it to her and following the others. "We'll see ye soon, Miss Lynn. 'Ope ye find wha' ye're aimin' tae find, 'n' I 'ope it's worth it."

"Oh, it will be. Don't have too much fun wit'out me now, lads," she called, raising up a hand good-bye.

Bill looked back at them, then at her. He took her hand. "Lynn," he said lowly, leaning in closer, "I trust you. But I don't trust the captain. Far's ye know, ye're walkin' on thin ice here, savvy? Just be careful. Don't do anythin' like ye did yer first day."

She nodded, squeezing his hand reassuringly. "Aye, Bill. I'll tread lightly."

"Good." He shook a finger at her. "'N' I'll be holdin' ye to it this time."

"Of course." She smacked his shoulder. "Now, go on and enjoy your day! And I will _know_ if you didn't. I can sense it. You know, through Hadras being honest when I ask 'im."

She didn't think it was possible for anyone to roll their eyes out of their head, but Bill came pretty close. "Oh, I fear ye, Lynn. Ye got yerself a cat 'n' no idea how ta use it."

"I do so!" She pulled it out of her belt. "One day, the _Angel May'_s bo'sun decided it was high time I learned!"

With that, Bill backtracked and was off the ship before she could flick her wrist. "Have a good day, Lynn!"

"Bill! What in God's name are you running for?" She leaned over the bulwark, waving the whip in the air. "The _one lesson_ he gave me only lasted _five minutes!_"

She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest with the cat, closing her eyes as she twirled around. "Well, fine then."

When she opened her eyes, she found that, to her shock, she'd nearly run into the captain. How on Earth did he keep getting so close so fast? He gave her a not-quite smile - more like a smirk - and crossed his own arms over his chest. "Just us, now, Miss Blackwell?"

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**I hope ye all enjoyed! Writin' the next chapter now, it shall have MUCH one-on-one with Davy and Lynn. *wink wink nudge nudge***

**Davy: Wha' are ye talkin' 'bout? None o' tha' happens, readers. Jus' thought I'd let ye know, she's got a righ' dirty mind. Sorry 'bout tha'.**

**Japanese translations for Hadras!**

**Watashi wa shitte iru = I know**

**anata gata wa, watashitachi no yō ni owaru kamo shirenai = you might end up like us**

**iie = no**

**hai = yes**

**-san = equivalent of Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. (Hadras is using "Miss" for Lynn)**

**T'ANKS FER READIN', LEAVE A REVIEW IF YE LIKED! ^^**


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